Six problems related to air bag have been reported for the 2006 Chrysler Town & Country. The most recently reported issues are listed below.
Was rearended by an 18 wheeler doing 55 mph I was stopped waiting for oncoming traffic to pass so I could turn left. He never braked. The van was pushed 200feet before it began to roll into trees. None of the airbags were deployed nor did the seatbelts lock. All 3 people were injured.
My family and I were involved in a 3 vehicle collision on the freeway around 5:45 pm. Conditions on the freeway, moderate-heavy traffic, it had rained, so the roads were wet. The Hyundai SUV suddenly slammed on their brakes. I was about 50 ft behind that vehicle, doing the speed limit of 65 mph, I stepped on my brakes, our van began to slide, and ended up rear ending the SUV in front of us. Neither of my airbags deployed on the van (the driver side/nor the passenger side). My husband was sitting in the passenger seat. My chest hit the steering wheel, but I chose not to have any type of medical aid on the scene. I contacted Chrysler immediately the day after the incident at their #800-247-9753 (claim #31347016). Needless to say, they took their time & never really got back to me, so when I finally got ahold of someone again, they said they had closed my original case (no one ever got a hold of me on that one) because they couldn't contact me, even though they were given my home address/email/phone #. 2nd time (now case #31597130) at phone #800-992-1997, an "inspector" from Chrysler finally responded to our address (where van is parked/totalled) did what he called an inspection. I received a letter a couple days from j. Susalla/special investigations at fca (fiat/Chrysler automobiles) saying conclusion of investigation "is that the rate of deceleration necessary to activate the air bag system was not present during your accident. " basically a cop out and denial that their airbag or airbag system (a very serious safety issue) was faulty in our van, and Chrysler is refusing to do anything about. I have attached photos, and a copy of the letter.
Tl-the contact owns a 2006 Chrysler town and country. The contact received NHTSA campaign number: 14v373000(air bags , electrical system). The contact stated that the part needed to remedy the vehicle was unavailable. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Lb.
Description of accident ~ van slid on ice, hitting a mailbox. Both the upper and lower airbags exploded with a ¿pop-like� sound, similar to gunfire, emitting terrible smoke and sharp debris, which smelled as though the car caught fire. Noticed several holes punctured as the airbags reached their maximum capacity, showing large burnt-like holes. Both my daughter and I were in the car. She was in passenger¿s seat, with her backpack in lap, which saved her from injury, thank goodness! unfortunately, my legs were pinned in vehicle, burnt and cut by the airbags & debris. Upon the ambulance¿s arrival, we noted that my daughter¿s safety belt needed to be cut, since it would not release for her automatically. She was cleared through the paramedics to head on to school. The paramedics stated that I may have blacked out for a bit, and felt that I most likely had whiplash. Their other concerns were the major pain in my left shoulder, and noted the need for me to be seen by a doctor right away. I was driven to the hospital. To date, deep bruising is still extremely apparent, along with being painful. Major scaring remains on both legs due to being burnt and cut. My shoulder and back of neck continue to throb, along with acknowledgment through my doctor¿s referral, within chiropractic care. He indicated through an x-ray, that I have nerve damage in the back of my neck, which causes pain and numbness throughout my right arm and hand. The van was declared ¿totaled�. Please note: pictures of both damage to my vehicle, along with bodily injuries are available. I would be happy to discuss any further details with you. Thank you so very much for reviewing my information. Should you need any additional information, kindly advise.
The contact owns a 2006 Chrysler town and country. The contact stated that the air bag warning lamp illuminated while driving. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and did not offer any assistance since the vehicle was not included in any recalls. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 91,000 and the current mileage was 114,000. Updated 6/7/12.
Faulty deployment of lower airbag in 2006 Chrysler town and country minivan.